Police appeal after conversation on train 'ends with man being glassed'

Appeal: Police want to speak to this man after a train passenger was allegedly glassed

Police are hunting this man after a conversation between two train passengers ended in one being glassed.

Officers have released CCTV images of a man they wish to speak to after a victim was left needing stitches when he was hit in the back of the head with a glass.

The two men were travelling from Fenchurch Street to Shoebury in Essex when the 44-year-old victim from Stratford, east London, struck up an "amicable" conversation and shared a drink with the alleged attacker, police said.

But detectives said the conversation then turned "hostile", and as the victim stepped back to move away the man apparently used the glass he was holding to hit him on the back of the head.

Both men left the train at Gray's station in Essex at around 9.25pm on Saturday, December 28.

The suspect fled the scene and the alleged victim called police before going to hospital, where he was given stitches for his wound.

Det Con Bishop added: "Our enquiries have been ongoing and, after viewing CCTV from the area on onboard the train, we have today released a still of a man we are very keen to speak to.

"The CCTV images are very clear and I’d urge anyone who may recognise the man, or who may have witnessed what took place, to come forward."

Anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 quoting incident number LNA/B6 of 30/12/2013, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.